Kloots, Amanda. Tell Me Your Dreams. Alex Willmore, Illus. Harper, 04/2023. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-0-06-322511-4. GRADES Preschool – 1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
A mother helps her young son get ready for bed by encouraging him to describe his dreams, which include his father driving a trash truck that turns into an airplane. The father is only present in the dreams. This upbeat story is brief and energetic, and the text contains onomatopoeia that adds interest. The brightly-colored, mixed-media cartoonish artwork was digitally created and depicts a white mother, son, and father. Written by TV personality Amanda Kloots (from the daytime talk show “The Talk”), the story doesn’t mention that her husband died of COVID when their son was an infant, but TV viewers might know the backstory. This is a positive, loving bedtime story that works well, even if the reader is unaware of the author’s celebrity.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool